


The File

by arrowsong



Series: Ghosts That We Knew [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Criminal Minds, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 08:02:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3320066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrowsong/pseuds/arrowsong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent Charlie Rhys, a forensic artist in the FBI's BAU is having a terrible day.  Her day is not made better when her boss informs her that instead of joining her team out in the field on a new case she has to stay behind to perform a psych eval on a perspective agent for an Agency she's never heard of - SHIELD.  When it comes time to perform the eval, a routine procedure, Charlie is left to grapple with her own past as she finds herself able to empathize with her subject, a former Soviet assassin known as the Winter Soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The File

_I learned that courage was not about the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear – Nelson Mandela._

 

There was barely enough time for Charlie to set down her morning latte on her desk, when JJ walked by carrying several case files, informing her that Hotch wanted to see her in his office.  Sighing, she dropped her case files on the desk, and made her way up from the bullpen.  Walking towards his office Charlie peeked through the glass, glimpsing her boss busy on the phone, before gently knocking on the door.

            “Come in,” Hotch called to her, covering the mouthpiece of the phone.

            Pushing the door open Charlie stepped in, closing it behind her before taking a seat across from Hotch at his desk.

            “This just came across my desk this morning.”  He slid a large, thick file in her direction.  “JJ is presenting a case regarding a series of abductions in Indiana to the team this morning, you should be finished by the time we wrap up.  If not then you’ll be helping Garcia here until we return.”

            Leaning forward, unhappy that she would not be joining her team in the field, Charlie grabbed the file and flipped it open to the front page.  “SHIELD?” she asked peering up from the file in her lap, having never heard of them before.  

            “It’s a law enforcement agency not all unlike our own." Hotch explained the basic premise of the agency quickly and efficiently, as to not raise more questions than answered.  "They’ve requested we perform a psych eval on one of their agents with a particularly troubled past. They need to know if he is fit for active duty, or if he still has more recovering to do.  Given your training, as well as your personal history, I believe you are the agent best suited for the job.”  Hotch explained avoiding eye contact.  She knew exactly what he meant when he said ‘your history.’

“This doesn’t have anything to do with the news today, does it sir?” She asked skeptically, arching an eyebrow.  Cause the way she figured it, it would be an awfully big coincidence if it didn’t.  She could hardly turn her head without seeing the headlines of the Times or the Post screaming at her.  This didn't include the televised news running the same story every hour on the hour - just incase she missed it the first five times this morning on the radio.

“Rhys – Gideon trained you personally before leaving the BAU.  Aside from him, you are the best the BAU has seen when it comes to performing detailed Psych Evals quickly and accurately.  The CIA personally requests you every time they need an eval of a new agent - I know that because they keep demanding to know why you keep rejecting their offer of a transfer.   I also know you happen to be particularly gifted at compartmentalizing, if you weren’t you wouldn’t have joined or been accepted into the FBI training academy, given your history. If this file hadn’t come across my desk, you would be joining us on the jet to Indiana.  That said," he breathed folding his fingers tightly together.  "I suggest you get reading.  The agent in question will be here this afternoon for the Eval.  That should be more than enough time for you to become familiar with his case.  I should also mention that he has requested his childhood friend be present with him during the evaluation as moral support.”

“What did you say to that?” asked Charlie curiously, looking up from the file in her lap, already halfway done the first page.  Generally speaking the only people allowed to sit in during an eval were the evaluator and the subject– in some cases a child services representative had to sit in when they interviewed kids under the age of eighteen.

“I told their Director that it was your call.  And that I will back your decision, whatever you choose.”

“Thank you, sir.  I appreciate that,” she replied with a cool but appreciative nod.  Hotch had her back, there was never any doubt about that.  The BAU was more than just a team of expert profilers – they were family, and here you looked out for, and protected, your own.  “Will that be everything?”  Gripping the chair, ready to push herself up out of the seat, she wanted to double check if there was anything else that needed to be addressed today before diving head first into the mountain of paperwork that came attached with psych evals.

“For the time being,” answered Hotch looking back down at his own ever-growing stack of paperwork.  No matter your position, Unit chief or profiler, it always seemed like the piles of papers were always growing, and they never got smaller.  Never.

Giving him a brief, polite smile, Charlie stood from her seat and made her way towards the door.   

“Rhys,” Hotch called after her.  She stopped and looked back at him.  “If you need to talk, about today’s announcement, please know that my door is always open.  We’re here for you, all of us.”

Smiling warmly in his direction she bowed her head slightly thanking him for the moral support, assuring him you were fine however.  He offered a polite, professional smile as he studied her otherwise neutral face– there would be that compartmentalizing he was referring to earlier - before getting up from his desk to head towards the conference room where JJ would be presenting the case.   Walking back towards her desk Charlie came across the rest of the team.

“Hey sugar, where you off to? The briefing is that way,” Morgan chuckled pointing in the direction of the conference room. 

Prentiss and Reid stood slightly behind Morgan, waiting for an answer, all of them confused as to why she could be possibly heading in the other direction.  Avoiding eye contact Reid picked a spot and stared at the floor.  Clearly he read this morning’s paper.

“I’ve got homework,” replied Charlie, playfully waving the large file marked with a giant red ‘confidential’ stamp, for them to see. 

“Looks like someone has herself a hot date tonight,” Morgan teased, giving her a knowing smirk that screamed ‘ _have fun.’_

“You know it,” she shot back with a half-hearted smile.  “Something tells me this bad boy is going to keep me up all night - and not in the fun way either, " she sighed.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually wanting a social life,” Rossi asked coming up behind her, wondering where the hell the rest of the team was when he walked into the empty conference room. 

“Perish the thought,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes as though the very thought was sheer lunacy.  “An agent in the BAU with a social life, surely such things only exist in legends, and fairytales,” she teased back.  “All joking aside, I have paperwork, and you have five missing women in Indiana.”

Morgan, Reid and Prentiss continued down towards the conference room where Hotch and JJ were waiting.  Only Rossi lingered by the stairwell, waiting just long enough for the others to be out of earshot.  Once her was sure he squeezed her arm gently.

“They don’t know – do they?” asked Dave standing by Charlie as she watched them all take their seats around the table as JJ dimmed the lights to start her presentation.

“Reid does.  Couldn’t look me in the eyes. It was like he was afraid I might break if I knew he knew about it.  Hotch will probably tell the rest of them on the jet.”  She replied unable to tear her eyes away from the round table.  What she wouldn’t give to be with them right now as JJ presented the latest case – anything to take her mind off of this morning’s news.  It was only half past eight, and she was already waiting for the day to be over so everyone else would just move on. All she wanted was to put the past behind her and get on with her life.

“How are you holding up? You okay?”

Dave had been a big part of Charlie’s life.  Ever since she was eighteen he had been a second father to her.  As a result he knew her better than anyone else.  If there was anyone who could see through her – it was Rossi. 

“I’m alright.  We knew this day was going to come eventually.  Pete called me last night to let me know, so I wouldn’t be totally shocked when I saw the news this morning.  It was sweet.  You know he and Shannon just had their twenty-eighth wedding anniversary?”  Lamely, she attempted to change to subject at hand to something more mundane, normal - nothing to do with her.

“You know, no one would blame you if you needed to take a personal day or two,” offered Rossi.  “Knowing this was coming doesn’t necessarily make it any easier once it actually happens.”

“I know,” she exhaled slowly, squeezing her eyes shut. “I know.  But I’ll be fine Dave, really.  Tomorrow is a new day, and things will be better.”   _They have to be,_ she thought to herself, no trace of those thoughts flickered across her face however.  She got good at hiding her emotions. Like everyone on her team Charlie learned to keep her emotions buried miles beneath the surface, and Rossi knew that.  All of them had their secrets, and they learned to trust each other not to pry.  Unfortunately in Charlie’s case the media sought to ensure that she had no secrets, but there were still a select few she would take to the grave however, not everyone knew the truth. 

“Alright.” He cast her a concerned if not doubtful sideways glance.  The corners of his eyes crinkled as he offered a sad, but supportive smile.  “Just know that if you need to talk we’re all here for you.  You don’t have to go through this alone Rhys.  We might not know what you’re going through, but that doesn’t mean we’re not here for you in whatever way you need us.”

Biting the inside of her cheek hard, and taking several calming breaths she wrapped her arms around his waist.  “Thanks Dave.”

“Anytime, kitten." He pulled her in close so her head burrowed into the crook of his neck as he placed a gentle, fatherly kiss on the top of her head.  "I wish you didn't have to go through this.  But you, and we've got you.”  Patting her back softly Rossi stepped back and walked Charlie back to her desk before returning to the conference room.    

Sighing, She dropped the file on her desk before plopping down into her seat as one of the wheels made a terrible scraping noise.  She had to talk to someone about either getting a new chair, or getting someone to take a look at the broken wheel.  Suddenly she found herself wishing she splurged and bought that cheesecake brownie she’d seen at the Café this morning. Glaring contemptuously at the freshly delivered paperwork on her left she let out a frustrated, and slightly defeated sigh.  She could do with a pick me up right about now.

Flipping the file open to the front page, she grumbled something about getting an extra big cookie on the way home, and started reading. 


End file.
